"It's time."
Inside the Wizard Tower, Ian slowly began organizing everything he would need for this assessment.
That included three bottles of basic potions and his various Witchcraft Artifacts.
This assessment allowed Wizards to use six Witchcraft Artifacts that fell within the specified standards.
So the equipment Ian wore could only be described as luxurious.
"For my staff, the Storm Staff."
Ian took out his staff.
It had a brown shaft and a blue-green head. The former came from his haul in the Storm Plains, while the latter was the mana core he had obtained on his first visit. Its strength went without saying: it came from a Magic Beast that had nearly reached Peak Three Rings. Although the years had worn it down, it was still among the finest at the Second Ring. The shaft had come from the same environment.
That made the two exceptionally compatible.
Ian had thought of this immediately after returning. The department had supplied some additional materials, and his teacher Darwin had helped craft it. The result was a staff at the very pinnacle of the Second Ring.
Only thanks to his Master Level Wind Rhythm and his storm fragment could Ian fully unleash this staff's power. The differences between stages of Second Ring alchemical equipment were enormous.
From awakening spirituality at the early Second Ring, to a spiritual core at the Intermediate Second Ring, spiritual elevation at the Advanced Second Ring, and finally spiritual fusion—the realm of top Second Ring Witchcraft Artifacts.
Their spirituality could merge completely with a Wizard, linking their thoughts. Neither their power nor their handling could be compared to lesser artifacts.
Of course, even spiritual elevation alone was significant.
It meant a Witchcraft Artifact became more powerful and could even act with a degree of autonomy in certain circumstances.